ELLEN WALKER

On September 6, 1987, a man knocked on the door of her house at 2310 Cushman Street and asked to use the telephone. Walker let him in only to be attacked.

Walker died as a result of complications from injuries she received during what police called "a savage beating."

Investigators believe the suspect is responsible for more than two dozen brutal beatings of elderly people in the Highland Park Area from February 1986 through October 1987, including the murders of Allie Collier and Mary Alvey.

The killer, dubbed "the Night Creeper" by police, is a black man who was in his mid-20's to early 30's at the time of the attacks, approximately 5-foot-9, with stocky build, a medium-length beard and a mustache.

During a 1987 interview with the Chattanooga Times, Lt. Bill Zinkeler, then supervisor of CPD's homicide division, described the suspect this way: "He's a sociopath. He uses more physical force than necessary to complete the crime."

Major Crimes detectives who originally worked cases involving this suspect say he is extremely violent, someone who enjoys hurting people. And his crimes were well-defined. The attacks typically occurred overnight, between 10:00pm and 4:00am, and happened in the Highland Park neighborhood. All the victims were elderly, on average 80 years old. The man sometimes broke in through a bedroom window. Other times he used trickery to get inside the victims' houses, typically ringing the door bell to ask if he could use a telephone. Additionally, the suspect did not take property that could be traced back to his victims, only cash or small things that would fit in his pockets.

Original investigating agency: Chattanooga Police Department

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